This invention relates to a distributor for spherical or quasi-spherical objects which is intended in particular for the application of cherries, pralines, nuts or other similar articles used to enhance the taste and appearance of, and/or to decorate, food products such as confectionery articles, biscuits or ice creams.
Of the known distributors for quasi-spherical objects, the most widely used are of the pneumatic or mechanical type. Pneumatic distributors comprise either means for randomly withdrawing one of the quasi-spherical objects by suction from a pile or, by contrast, means for pulsing said objects by means of compressed air from cavities into which they have previously been introduced and, in either case, for projecting said object onto the receiving products. Mechanical distributors which are very widely used include versions in which needles take up the objects to be placed on the receiving product from a reserve and subsequently transfer them from this reserve to the product and deposit them thereon.
These known distributors, whether of one type or the other, are attended by the disadvantage of generally poor reliability in operation. For instance, it is usually desirable that only one nut is applied to a cake, but many known distributors are unable to ensure this and often apply more than one nut. In addition, mechanical distributors equipped with needles involve a real danger. so far as the food products are concerned, in that needles or fragments of needles can break or become detached and remain in the product without any possibility of detection at the moment the incident occurs, making the end product particularly dangerous to eat. In view of these disadvantages, distribution is still generally done by hand but this involves considerable labour costs.